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HON.  HORACE  BINNEY 


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EXTRACT 

FROM  THE  MINUTES  OF 

THE  PHILADELPHIA  CONTRIBUTIONSHIP  FOR  THE  INSURANCE  OF  HOUSES 
FROM  LOSS  BY  FIRE. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PRINTED  BY  SHERMAN  & CO. 
1875. 


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36Hr 


IN  MEMORIAM. 


HON.  HORACE  BINNEY. 


'Si 

[Extract  from  the  Minutes  of  “The  Philadelphia  Contributionship  for 
the  Insurance  of  Houses  from  Loss  by  Fire.”] 


At  the  Stated  Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors, 
held  at  the  office,  No.  212  South  Fourth  Street,  at 
12  o’clock,  noon,  August  18,  1875,  Dr.  Charles  Wil- 
ling presented  and  read  the  following  preamble  and 
resolution,  viz. : 


CO 


I 


CC 


Since  the  last  meeting  of  the  Board,  an  event  has 
occurred,  which,  though  in  the  course  of  nature  long 
impending,  we  had  all  fondly  hoped  might  be  yet  for 
some  time  delayed.  On  the  1 2th  of  August  the  Hon. 
Horace  Binney  died  at  his  residence,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-five  years.  Although  for  some  time 
previous  to  his  death  his  official  relation  to  this  cor- 
poration had  ceased,  in  consequence  of  the  resignation 
of  his  position  as  a Director  and  our  Chairman,  yet 
his  long  connection  with  its  affairs,  and  the  interest 
he  continued  to  manifest  in  its  welfare,  confer  on  us 
the  privilege  of  expressing,  as  a body,  the  very  high 
respect  and  honor  in  which  he  was  held  by  every 
member  of  this  Board.  Therefore, 

Resolved:  That  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The 
Philadelphia  Contributionship , have  heard  with  pro- 
found regret  of  the  death  of  the  Hon.  Horace  Binney, 


\ 45160 


who  had  been  associated  with  this  corporation  forty- 
one  years,  having  been  first  elected  a Director,  April 
15,  1817,  and  resigned  in  1819  ; being  again  elected 
a Director,  July  6,  1831,  and  chosen  as  Chairman, 
August  7,  1844,  continuing  to  officiate  as  Chairman 
during  a period  of  twenty-six  years,  until  his  relation 
to  the  Company  was  terminated  by  his  resignation, 
December  28,  1870,  this  being  the  latest  official  posi- 
tion that  he  maintained  in  connection  with  any  public 
body.  That  they  cannot  forget  the  invaluable  service, 
which,  during  this  long  period,  he  rendered  by  his 
sound  judgment  and  wise  counsel,  to  which,  in  a very 
great  degree,  the  present  prosperity  of  the  corpora- 
tion is  to  be  ascribed. 

That  they  desire  to  express  the  very  high  respect 
and  honor  with  which  they  regarded  one  in  whom 
great  intellectual  capacity,  uniting  with  the  grandest 
moral  qualities,  composed  a character  which  impressed, 
by  its  power  and  excellence,  all  who  came  within  its 
influence.  A character  whose  completeness  was  as 
marked  as  it  was  rare.  A judgment  so  clear  and 
searching  that  every  subject  submitted  to  it  resolved 
itself  into  its  true  proportions ; an  imagination  subject 
to  the  reason,  yet  giving  force  and  glow  to  its  expres- 
sion ; a comprehensive  grasp  combined  with  a faithful 
accuracy  in  the  conduct  of  all  the  affairs  committed 
to  his  care,  and  a supreme  moral  courage ; such,  that, 
when  convinced  of  the  right,  no  external  influence, 
however  powerful,  could  for  one  instant  deter  him  from 
its  assertion  and  maintenance  The  exercise  of  his 


great  powers  was  not  confined  to  individual  gratifi- 
cation, or  the  service  of  personal  friendship ; but  when 
occasion  presented,  they  were  freely  used  for  the 
benefit  of  his  country,  and  of  the  community  in  which 
he  lived.  His  fellow-citizens  had  learned  to  feel  that 
in  every  hour  of  anxiety  and  danger,  either  in  private 
or  public  affairs,  there  existed  a refuge  where  the 
wisest  and  bravest  counsel  might  be  sought,  and  would 
be  given. 

A cultivated  and  elegant  scholar ; a profound  and 
learned  lawyer,  to  whom  the  members  of  his  profes- 
sion acknowledged  none  superior;  a most  accomplished 
gentleman ; the  crowning  grace  of  his  grand  and  yet 
finely  moulded  character  was  the  deep,  sincere,  earnest 
faith  of  a Christian ; a faith  in  which  lay  the  secret 
of  the  consistency,  the  purity,  the  courage,  and  the 
strength  which  ennobled  his  long  and  honored  life. 

That  wdiile  they  mourn  for  themselves  an  irreparable 
loss,  they  desire  to  offer  their  most  fervent  and  respect- 
ful sympathy  to  those  who,  in  his  departure  from  this 
world,  have  undergone  yet  deeper  bereavement. 

When,  on  motion  of  John  Welsh,  Esq.,  they  were 
unanimously  adopted. 

On  motion  of  George  C.  Morris,  Esq.,  it  was  resolved 
that  the  preamble  and  resolutions  be  entered  at  length 
on  the  minutes,  and  that  a copy  of  them  be  sent  to 
the  family  of  the  Hon.  Horace  Binney ; also  that  they 
be  published. 

Charles  Willing,  chairman. 
Jas.  Somers  Smith,  secretary. 


31  Sectors 


-A.  TJ  C3-  TJ  S T 18,  18  7 5. 


William  H.  Hart, 

Dr.  Charles  Willing, 
Bichard  P.  Lardner, 
Dr.  J.  Bodman  Paul, 
Adolph  E.  Borie, 
Alexander  Biddle, 


John  Welsh, 

Joseph  Price, 
William  Wister, 
George  C.  Morris, 
Alexander  Henry, 
Franklin  B.  Gowen. 


Secretary  and  Treasurer, 

James  Somers  Smith. 


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